History YMMV / DragonBallZBudokai

** Unlocking the Drama Pieces for use in Versus Mode in ''Burst Limit'' is an even worse case of GuideDangIt, almost ''incarnate'', due to the issues explained above in ScrappyMechanic. Just activating them mid-Z Chronicle battle isn't enough, you still have to win the fight in order to truly unlock that specific piece, which could be much harder than it's worth if the Drama Piece in question requires you to ''throw the match and be put in a critical condition''. God forbid if the piece in question belongs to the CPU opponent, in which case it becomes a LuckBasedMission on top of everything else.

** Shin Budokai's alternate ending, in which Vegito's fusion is made permanent for a year until they could wish to revert it back, becomes this after ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' revealed the Potara fusion would only last one hour if used by non Supreme Kai

** The PAL version of the first game uses the Japanese voices whilst having an alternate translation for Story Mode... which features weirdness like Vegeta calling people "Aunt Sallies" and Bulma expressing sadness at how Goku "was able to escape from Namek" (seriously) while the cutscene showed him... kinda failing (he escaped but besides that...), and at one point translates Cell's angry growl of "Chikushou!!" ("DAMMIT!") as "Shucks!!" It's only saving grace is that it both tries to be more accurate to the Japanese manga dialogue and is more liberal with swears (with "damn" and "crap" being used in an era when Creator/{{Funimation}} shied away from them.)
* NarmCharm: While some fans don't like ''Budokai 2'''s Story Mode for its BroadStrokes approach with adapting the story of the anime and manga, as well as not having the cool cinematics of the first game, others like it for the craziness it brought. It can add a lot of replayability due to bringing in characters from later in the story earlier than they're supposed to be, as well as some decent {{Lampshade Hanging}}s later on when Cell and Frieza are brought back to life for the ''second'' time where they don't remember being brought back and powered up by Babidi by Goku, confused, bringing up how they'd just fought prior. The Story Mode is also the only way to properly unlock all of the characters and a lot of the special moves outside of the item shop, with the player having to do 2-3 playthroughs ''at least'' to get them (if the player knows what they're doing or [[GuideDangIt has a guide handy]]), as well as can only get Babidi's Spaceship and special Capsules like the Breakthroughs through playing it a ''lot'' to completion [[note]]at least with how the game was originally designed to play, as the [=PS2=] version allowed you to bypass the requirements needed to get them through a glitch with the item shop, but this was fixed in the [=GameCube=] port[[/note]], so this can be very much appreciated by those who enjoy the mode enough to do so.

* OnceOriginalNowCommon: The Story Mode in ''Budokai 1'' can get this from younger fans. These days, a ''DBZ'' game with a story mode based on recreating the anime through fights and cutscenes is considered to be the bare minimum, if not downright cliché, and it's easy to point out the many skipped battles or the fact that it only goes up to Cell. It's hard to remember that, prior to ''Budokai'', this level of fidelity was unprecedented, and its immediate successors often skimped out on the cutscenes, making it unrivaled for a good period. Back when it came out, for many, it was like actually watching the show.

** For ''Budokai 3'', Hyper Mode was pretty much very unsafe and drained all your ki in one shot if you couldn't properly use it to land big damage or perform your Ultimate Attack/initiate a Dragon Rush. [[note]]A commonly used work-around is to raise your ki high enough, enter Hyper Mode, transform when right next to the opponent, and then use the Guard Break caused by the transformation to either knock away your foe away with a ki attack special and enter Dragon Rush or unleash the Ultimate unimpeded, [[GuideDangIt not that the game ever tells you this]].[[/note]] Both Hyper Mode and Dragon Rushes (see directly below) were abused heavily by the A.I. as well, making some players glad that they were removed in ''Infinite World''.

** Many of Kenji Yamamoto's works sound eerily similar to songs by Finnish power metal band Music/{{Stratovarius}}. The most obvious examples are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3NPlVd09Tc "Challengers"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icQ4ySVZw7E "Warrior from an Unknown Land"]] compared to Stratovarius' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2l8KtdQ7Ek "Hunting High and Low"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5V8niow0EA "Infinity"]] respectively, whereas [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2PxksNIXSM "Move Forward Fearlessly"]] liberally uses the opening guitar riff of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzvY77AmLtw "Glory of the World."]] [[note]]Doesn't make ''Budokai'''s soundtrack any less awesome, though.[[/note]] In fact, years after the ''Budokai'' games were released, Yamamoto was fired because Toei found out about his plagiarism. The HD collection of the ''Budokai'' games used a completely different soundtrack [[note]]or, to be more accurate, a mish-mash of the soundtracks from ''Budokai Tenkaichi 2'' and ''3'', ''Raging Blast'', ''Tenkaichi Tag Team'', and ''Ultimate Tenkaichi''[[/note]] as a result.

** When playing as Goku, ''Budokai 3'' has Cell. Before him, none of the previous bosses really stand too much of a chance (with the possible exception of Frieza in his full power form). Cell has more health than you, and is incredibly durable to most of the attacks that you have unlocked at this point. The Kamehameha sort of helps, but good luck landing a hit on him with it because he usually blocks it or moves out of its way.

** ''Burst Limit'' is also this to those coming off the heels of ''Budokai 3'' and even ''Infinite World''. On one hand, despite being an early UsefulNotes/PlayStation3[=/=]UsefulNotes/Xbox360 ''Dragon Ball'' title, it's still a solid fighter that uses ''Shin Budokai'' as the base for its gameplay (meaning those familiar with the previous games will feel right at home), the graphics still hold up, it's just as cinematic as ''Budokai 1'', and the soundtrack is nothing short of baddass (Kenji Yamamoto notwithstanding). However, it's also very easy to see where corners were cut, with some assuming that the game was rushed, having its share of performance issues, recycled animations from previous ''Budokai'' games, and a stilted presentation, not to mention the poorly thought-out Drama Pieces system (see ScrappyMechanic below). ''Burst Limit'' also doesn't go any further than the Cell Saga, and even worse, teases Mecha Frieza and Super Saiyan 2 Goku in the pre-rendered cutscenes despite them being unplayable by any means in-game.

** In the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 PS2]] version of ''Budokai 2'', by holding the L2 Button while entering and exiting the shop, a random Capsule will be added to your inventory. This includes stage and character Capsules. This was fixed in the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] port, unfortunately.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The Story Mode in ''Budokai 1'' can get this from younger fans. These days, a ''DBZ'' game with a story mode based on recreating the anime through fights and cutscenes is considered to be the bare minimum, if not downright cliché, and it's easy to point out the many skipped battles or the fact that it only goes up to Cell. It's hard to remember that, prior to ''Budokai'', this level of fidelity was unprecedented, and its immediate successors often skimped out on the cutscenes, making it unrivaled for a good period. Back when it came out, for many, it was like actually watching the show.

** Not as bad as some other fighters but they're definitely present. Omega Shenron is Top Tier in ''3'' due to combination of powerful combos and having 7 base ki bars by default, meaning he fills up to max ki without having to charge, while Piccolo, Cell, and Dabura are up there with him because of their fast-ranged physical combos. Bottom Tier is Saibaman and [[JokeCharacter Mr. Satan]].
** Additionally, ''Budokai 3'' tends to have two tier lists: one with all capsules, and the other with just Breakthrough (players can use all moves available for their characters, but no other capsules). Characters that use transformations tend to place a lot lower on the former list, since one capsule is Yakon, who eats said transformations.

** ''Burst Limit'' is also this to those coming off the heels of ''Budokai 3'' and even ''Infinite World''. On one hand, despite being an early-[=PlayStation=] 3/Xbox 360 ''Dragon Ball'' title, it's still a solid fighter that uses ''Shin Budokai'' as the base for its gameplay, meaning those familiar with the previous games will feel right at home, the graphics still hold up, it's just as cinematic as ''Budokai 1'', and the soundtrack is nothing short of baddass (Kenji Yamamoto notwithstanding). However, it's also very easy to see where corners were cut, with some assuming that the game was rushed, having its share of performance issues, recycled animations from previous ''Budokai'' games and a stilted presentation, not to mention the poorly-thoughtout Drama Pieces system (see ScrappyMechanic below). ''Burst Limit'' also doesn't go any further than the Cell Saga, and even worse, teases Mecha Frieza and Super Saiyan 2 Goku in the pre-rendered cutscenes, but are unplayable by any means.

* FridgeBrilliance: Notice how in ''Infinite World'', [[Anime/DragonBallGT GT]] Goku's Super Kamehameha is the same one he blew Commander Black to bits with in the movie ''[[Anime/DragonBallThePathToPower The Path to Power]]'', which is based on the original ''Manga/DragonBall''. Why's this? Because technically the Goku in that movie ''was'' GT Goku thanks to using the same colour scheme as ''GT'''s depiction and his art style (facial structure and such) more resembling ''GT'' than the original ''Dragon Ball''!
* FriendlyFandoms: Thanks to Kenji Yamamoto's plagiarism, those who grew up with the original releases of the ''Budokai'' series are also fans of {{Music/Stratovarius}} and their work, and Stratovarius fans are just happy their favorite band is getting more exposure.

** In Budokai 2's story mode, it's possible to make Goten invincible; simply have Goku and Kid Trunks move to the same spot as him which will give him a whopping 60% increase to his defense. Then equip him with Mysterious Vest and also have him pick up a few armors on the map and nothing can damage him. Not even the infamous endgame Kid Buu can hope to stop you.
* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The ''Budokai'' games are exceptionally popular in Latin America (as is ''Franchise/DragonBall'' franchise overall), to the point where they rival the popularity of ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' in that specific region of the world.

** In the [=PS2=] version of ''Budokai 2'', by holding the L2 Button while entering and exiting the shop, a random capsule will be added to your inventory. This includes stage and character capsules. This was fixed in the [=GameCube=] port, unfortunately.

*** The most prominent being that physical-based Special Attacks not only return Ki upon successful hits, they were also not affected by damage scaling. This means characters like Goku or Yamcha can effortlessly pull off a [=ToD=] combo against opponents with even 7 bars of health.
*** #18's grab could be chained into a pursuit attack, or if she was in Hyper Mode, a Dragon Rush. This makes her incredibly punishing if you're able to land even one grab with her (or a pain to fight if you were on the receiving end).
*** One of base form Cooler's combo strings Guard Breaks every time it lands, giving him immense lockdown potential.

** ''Shin Budokai: Another Road'''s storyline is about Majin Buu being released in Future Trunks' timeline and Future Trunks having a hard enough time fighting him that he has to enlist aid from the present day Dragon Team. ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' revealed that yes, Future Trunks having to deal with Majin Buu in his timeline is canon... except in that version of the story, thanks to assistance from the Supreme Kai and Kibito, Future Trunks easily defeated Dabura and Babidi before they could unseal Majin Buu in the first place. Even funnier is that one of the branching storylines in ''Another Road'' does exactly that as well, which can be done in the first chapter, even! The only difference between ''Another Road'' and ''Super'' is that the former has Future Gohan and Pikkon brought back for a day to help out and Supreme Kai isn't killed by Dabura unlike in ''Super''.
** ''Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot'' also did this, as it adapted aspects of the ''Super'' manga and made its own version of the story.
** Similarly, in ''Budokai 2'' and ''3'', Future Trunks strangely has access to the Super Saiyan 2 state despite never achieving it during ''[[Anime/DragonBallZ Z]]''. (In the first game, he correctly has his Super Saiyan First and Second Grade forms, labeled as "Super Trunks" and "Super Trunks 2.") Then in ''Super'', it turns out Trunks really ''did'' obtain the actual Super Saiyan 2 form.

** Additionally, judging by the fact that Broly draws blood against Gogeta during their initial trading of blows, ''Budokai 3'' seems to suggest--in direct opposition to the series and [[NonSerialMovie movies]]--Broly's Legendary Super Saiyan form is stronger than Super Saiyan Gogeta, at least in terms of raw power. [[note]]WordOfGod states each movie villain is stronger than the last, meaning Broly is weaker than Janemba who in turn was effortlessly defeated by Gogeta in ''[[Anime/DragonBallZFusionReborn Fusion Reborn]]''. If that wasn't enough, ''[[Anime/DragonBallZBrolySecondComing Broly – Second Coming]]'' shows that Broly, despite [[CameBackStrong powering up]] from his NearDeathExperience in [[Anime/DragonBallZBrolyTheLegendarySuperSaiyan the first movie]], is not quite as invincible as he was before: a rusty Super Saiyan 2 Gohan, though outclassed, is able to hold his own for a while and inflict visible damage to Broly.[[/note]] ''DBS: Broly'' shows Broly going full power not long into his battle with Gogeta and briefly overpowering the latter as a Super Saiyan. [[spoiler:The moment he recovers, Gogeta immediately turns Super Saiyan Blue in order to [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown decisively end the battle]] and not give Broly a chance to close the gap in power between them.]]

** In battle, with the exception of his lines for certain moves (and his transformations in ''3'' and ''Infinite World''), [[Creator/DameonClarke English!Cell]] speaks with his Imperfect Form's nasally voice at all times. The voice itself isn't the problem (and Perfect Cell ''does'' briefly revert to using it in the anime when revealing himself to the world and announcing the Cell Games), but hearing high-pitched kiais and other odd-sounding yells from his later forms for most of the fight [[VocalDissonance creates a lot of unintentional hilarity]]. This was due to programming limitations, as the forms are just model swaps and the Japanese voice actor didn't change his voice like they did in the English dub between Cell's forms.
** The PAL version of the first game uses the Japanese voices whilst having an alternate translation for Story Mode... which features weirdness like Vegeta calling people "Aunt Sallies" and Bulma expressing sadness at how Goku "was able to escape from Namek" (seriously) while the cutscene showed him... kinda failing (he escaped but besides that...), and at one point translates Cell's angry growl of "Chikushou!!" ("DAMMIT!") as "Shucks!!" It's only saving grace is that it both tries to be more accurate to the Japanese manga dialogue and is more liberal with swears (with "damn" and "crap" being used in an era when Funimation shied away from them.)
* NarmCharm: While some fans don't like ''Budokai 2's'' story mode for its BroadStrokes approach with adapting the story of the anime and manga, as well as not having the cool cinematics of the first game, others like it for the craziness it brought. It can add a lot of replayability due to bringing in characters from later in the story earlier than they're supposed to be, as well as some decent {{Lampshade Hanging}}s later on when Cell and Frieza are brought back to life for the ''second'' time where they don't remember being brought back and powered up by Babidi by Goku, confused, bringing up how they'd just fought prior. The story mode is also the only way to properly unlock all of the characters and a lot of the special moves outside of the item shop, with the player having to do 2-3 playthroughs ''at least'' to get them (if the player knows what they're doing, or has a guide handy), as well as can only get Babidi's Spaceship and special capsules like the Breakthroughs through playing it a ''lot'' to completion [[note]]at least with how the game was originally designed to play, as the [=PS2=] version allowed you to bypass the requirements needed to get them through a glitch with the item shop, but this was fixed in the [=GameCube=] port[[/note]], so this can be very much appreciated by those who enjoy the mode enough to do so.

* PolishedPort: Despite the lack of the original soundtracks, the menus and cutscenes not being expanded to widescreen, and no ''Budokai 2'', the [=PS3=] and Xbox 360 ports of the first and third games are really good. The graphics pop with the upgrade to HD and the framerate is increased to 60fps. The first game also has a gameplay improvement in that for the versus mode, the second player can ''finally'' choose the "Custom" option for their character's moveset, which was oddly left out of the original [=PS2=] and [=GameCube=] releases. They're also based on the original Japanese [=PS2=] releases, which means the extra costumes in ''3'' are in the game's code that were initially left out for a later re-release internationally are still unlockable with the same codes as they were originally, though that means the cel-shaded shadows from the [=GameCube=] port of the first game are absent, unfortunately, and ''Budokai 1'' doesn't have more than 1 language option in the international releases for some reason. It's a shame that ''Budokai 2'' wasn't included, as it would've benefited greatly from these upgrades, though the jazzy soundtrack would've been very missed as a result.

** The [[CharacterCustomization Capsule system]] in the first two games severely limited a player's options, as moves like basic throws and ki volleys were mapped to capsules in the same manner as transformations and special moves. And this is before you get into supplemental items and effects that also required slots. ''Budokai 3'' relaxed things somewhat by making throws a universal mechanic while incorporating the more generic techniques previously found in blue capsules into the Dragon Rush sequence of attacks. ''Infinite World'' went a step further and made it so that all transformations were mapped to a single skill, meaning players could more freely customize characters with a high number of transformations (Goku in particular) instead of defaulting to Breakthrough so as to not handicap themselves.

** The Drama Pieces in ''Burst Limit'', [[MidBattleTeaBreak which will stop the match to play a short cutscene and give you buffs should you fulfill their conditions in the middle of the battle]]. Good idea on paper, absolutely ''pace breaking'' in execution. Not helped is that some conditions are constant (like needing to fall below a certain amount of Health or reach a certain transformation), while others are so specific and situational, [[MoodWhiplash it becomes extremely jarring when it does go off at seemingly random]]. Don't be surprised if the people you fight with decide to forgo Drama Pieces altogether and just treat the match as any other ''Budokai'' game.

* SequelDifficultySpike: ''Infinite World'''s AI is much harder than previous games, as it uses techniques up to and including move cancels.
* SophomoreSlump: Budokai 2 is generally seen as the weakest of the original three games, despite the major improvements it made, due to lacking a lot of the memorable aspects of the other games. The "story mode" especially sticks out, since it is a weird minigame system that lacks the surprisingly detailed retelling aspect of the first game, and lacks the RPG like mechanics, world map, and different character stories of the third game. While the game is better overall than 1, and set a lot of the improvements that 3 would bring, it lacks the charm the first game has, and lacks the improvements of 3. Tellingly, the HD remaster didn't include it.

** Though more debatable compared to ''3'' (see BrokenBase above), ''Budokai 2'' itself also counts as a big step up in terms of video game sequels. This especially goes for the graphics, which were [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome much closer to the anime]] with the new engine, art direction, and CelShading, something other anime games [[FollowTheLeader would mimic as closely as possible]]. The expansion into the Buu Saga allowed for more characters and locations to base things off of. Gameplay-wise, fights were more fluid and smoother, and there were multiple mechanical improvements like lower ki consumption for transformations, added moves, and other features to help diversify combat. While ''Budokai 3'' refined this formula to near perfection (resulting in one of the better regarded ''DBZ'' games in the franchise's history; see SugarWiki/NoProblemWithLicensedGames above), ''Budokai 2'' laid a good deal of the foundation.

** Many of Kenji Yamamoto's works sound eerily similar to songs by Finnish power metal band Music/{{Stratovarius}}. The most obvious examples are [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3NPlVd09Tc "Challengers"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icQ4ySVZw7E "Warrior from an Unknown Land"]] compared to Stratovarius' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2l8KtdQ7Ek "Hunting High and Low"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5V8niow0EA "Infinity"]] respectively, whereas [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2PxksNIXSM "Move Forward Fearlessly"]] liberally uses the opening guitar riff of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzvY77AmLtw "Glory of the World."]] [[note]]Doesn't make ''Budokai'''s soundtrack any less awesome, though.[[/note]] In fact, years after the ''Budokai'' games were released, Yamamoto was fired because Toei found out about his plagiarism. The HD collection of the ''Budokai'' games used a completely different soundtrack [[note]]or, to be more accurate, a mish-mash of the soundtracks from ''Budokai Tenkaichi 2'' and ''3'', ''Raging Blast'', ''Tenkaichi Tag Team'' and ''Ultimate Tenkaichi''[[/note]] as a result.

** Unlocking the Drama Pieces for use in versus mode in ''Burst Limit'' is an even worse case of GuideDangIt, almost ''incarnate'', due to the issues explained above in ScrappyMechanic. Just activating them mid-Z Chronicle battle isn't enough, you still have to win the fight in order to truly unlock that specific piece, which could be much harder than it's worth if the Drama Piece in question requires you to ''throw the match and be put in a critical condition.'' God forbid if the piece in question belongs to the CPU opponent, in which case it becomes a LuckBasedMission on top of everything else.
** For some reason, Dimps decided it was a good idea to make Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Majin Vegeta {{Bragging Rights Reward}}s in ''Shin Budokai - Another Road'', as unlike every other character that can be unlocked through casual play, Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Majin Vegeta have specific unlock conditions that are easier said than done. Majin Vegeta requires you to get the GoldenEnding by completing the last chapter with no cities lost, a difficult task on its own thanks to the aggressiveness of the enemy encounters combined with how spread out the map is, meanwhile Super Saiyan 4 Goku requires you to defeat Kid Buu in that same chapter with at least a B Rank, a painful task since it's apparently an unwritten law to make Kid Buu a pain in the ass to fight in every game he appears in.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: ''Burst Limit'' has fully rendered models of King Cold, Mecha Frieza, and Super Saiyan 2 Goku for the pre-rendered [=FMVs=]. That's cool! ...so why can't we ''play'' as them?

** Whether the original soundtrack or the ''HD Collection'' soundtrack is better (the original having to be replaced after the composer was fired due to plagiarism in both this game series and his work on ''Anime/DragonBallZKai''). There is more of a preference for the former (see directly above), but that is not to say that the reused music from the ''[[VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi Budokai Tenkaichi]]'' games and ''Raging Blast'' is "bad" ''per se''; it's just that some of the replacements don't quite fit. This is particularly noticeable in ''Budokai 1''[='s=] Story Mode, where the choice of music feels rushed due to the MoodWhiplash-y nature of some of the selections compared to the original score.

** One of the ([[MultipleEndings potential]]) final bouts in both Goku and Vegeta's Dragon Universe stories is a brawl between Super Gogeta and Gotenks at the World Martial Arts Tournament Arena, set to ''Budokai 3'''s main theme [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic "The Ultimate Energy."]] [[RuleOfCool For the sake of the battle]], both fused characters have an infinite timer, making it impossible for either fighter to de-fuse. Because the timer will never be emptied no matter what Gogeta or Gotenks do, this translates to infinite ki, which ultimately helps Gotenks far more than it helps the player. For one, expect Gotenks to immediately ascend to Super Saiyan 3 so that he can spam Victory Cannon as much as he likes, which can and will rip your health bar to shreds in no time flat. Even on lower difficulties does Gotenks have a bad case of PerfectPlayAI, leading him to teleport counter your attacks and [[TeleportSpam repeatedly counter]] [[NoIAmBehindYou your own attempts to counter]] ''[[NoIAmBehindYou his]]'' [[NoIAmBehindYou teleports]]. If that wasn't bad enough, the moment Gotenks enters Hyper Mode, he will stay in it until he either initiates a Dragon Rush or his Ultimate, the player does the same to him to forcibly knock him out of the state, or Gotenks is KO'd. It is also impossible to win by RingOut; you've got to beat Gotenks the old-fashioned way.

* FriendlyFandoms: Thanks to Kenji Yamamoto's plagiarism, those who grew up with the original releases of the ''Budokai'' series are also fans of {{Music/Stratovarius}} and their work.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The Story Mode in ''Budokai 1'' can get this from younger fans. These days, a ''DBZ'' game with a story mode based on recreating the anime through fights and cutscenes is considered to be the bare minimum, if not downright cliché, and it's easy to point out the many skipped battles or the fact that it only goes up to Cell. It's hard to remember that, prior to ''Budokai'', this level of fidelity was unprecedented, and its immediate successors often skimped out on the cutscenes, making it unrivaled for a good period.

* NarmCharm: While some fans don't like ''Budokai 2's'' story mode for its BroadStrokes approach with adapting the story of the anime and manga, as well as not having the cool cinematics of the first game, others like it for the craziness it brought. It can add a lot of replayability due to bringing in characters from later in the story earlier than they're supposed to be, as well as some decent {{Lampshade Hanging}}s later on when Cell and Frieza are brought back to life for the ''second'' time where they don't remember being brought back and powered up by Babidi by Goku, confused, bringing up how they'd just fought prior. The story mode is also the only way to properly unlock all of the characters and a lot of the special moves outside of the item shop, with the player having to do 2-3 playthroughs ''at least'' to get them (if the player knows what they're doing, or has a guide handy), as well as can only get Babidi's Spaceship and special capsules like the Breakthroughs through playing it a ''lot'' to completion [[note]]at least with how the game was originally designed to play, as the [=PS2=] version allowed you to bypass the requirements needed to get them through a glitch with the item shop, but this was fixed in the GameCube port[[/note]], so this can be very much appreciated by those who enjoy the mode enough to do so.

** For some reason, Dimps decided it was a good idea to make Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Majin Vegeta {{Bragging Rights Reward}}s, as unlike every other character that can be unlocked through casual play, Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Majin Vegeta have specific unlock conditions that are easier said than done. Majin Vegeta requires you to get the GoldenEnding by completing the last chapter with no cities lost, a difficult task on its own thanks to the aggressiveness of the enemy encounters combined with how spread out the map is, meanwhile Super Saiyan 4 Goku requires you to defeat Kid Buu with at least a B Rank, a painful task since it's apparently an unwritten law to make Kid Buu a pain in the ass to fight in every game he appears in.

** Unlocking the additional characters in ''Budokai 2'' is completely slogged down by the sheer amount of GuideDangIt moments, as certain characters can only be unlocked by defeating a specific opponent with a specific party member in Dragon World mode. Screwing up means going back to the beginning of the entire campaign just for another shot.

* NarmCharm: While some fans don't like ''Budokai 2's'' story mode for its BroadStrokes approach with adapting the story of the anime and manga, as well as not having the cool cinematics of the first game, others like it for the craziness it brought. It can add a lot of replayability due to bringing in characters from later in the story earlier than they're supposed to be, as well as some decent {LampshadeHanging}s later on when Cell and Frieza are brought back to life for the ''second'' time where they don't remember being brought back and powered up by Babidi by Goku, confused, bringing up how they'd just fought prior. The story mode is also the only way to properly unlock all of the characters and a lot of the special moves outside of the item shop, with the player having to do 2-3 playthroughs ''at least'' to get them (if the player knows what they're doing, or has a guide handy), as well as can only get Babidi's Spaceship and special capsules like the Breakthroughs through playing it a ''lot'' to completion [[note]]at least with how the game was originally designed to play, as the [=PS2=] version allowed you to bypass the requirements needed to get them through a glitch with the item shop, but this was fixed in the GameCube port[[/note]], so this can be very much appreciated by those who enjoy the mode enough to do so.